


And to All a Good Night

by Techgirl



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Cancer, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 04:07:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18461150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Techgirl/pseuds/Techgirl
Summary: A Christmas story.Set in S4. The timeline is a bit off. Let's pretend we're not noticing it.





	And to All a Good Night

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by Kinwad.

“I expect to see you both at my Christmas dinner tomorrow night,” Deb said, her hands resting on her hips. “Emmett is helping me prepare a buffet of everyone’s favorites, including tuna casserole.”

Justin smiled an apology. “We can’t.” 

“Why the hell not?”

“We’ve got plans.”

Brian looked up from his newspaper and decided to stay out of their conversation. 

“But we always celebrate together.”

“Not this year.” Justin put on his coat and scarf. “Ready?” he asked Brian. Bundled against the cold, he headed toward the door without waiting for his reply. 

Brian took one last sip of coffee and paid the tab before following him to the car. He put the key in the ignition, changed the radio station twice and raised an eyebrow at Justin. “Do we have plans that I’m not aware of?” He crossed his fingers and hoped Justin didn’t have his mind set on them spending the day with Mother Taylor and Molly. 

“No.”

He waited for him to continue, but Justin simply leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window. After putting the car in gear, he asked, “Where do you want me to drop you off?”

“Downtown. I have some shopping to do.”

“New sex toys?” 

“No, not today.”

“Actually, I don’t think we need any more toys than the dildo I used on you this morning. You were fucking loud.” Taking note of Justin’s smile, he threaded his fingers through his hair. “Please don’t come home with anymore herbs. The whole loft smells of that shit.” 

“I promise. Want me to pick up anything for you?”

Brian stopped the car by the sidewalk and nuzzled Justin’s neck. “Got everything I need right here.” He chuckled when Justin flipped him off. “See you tonight?”

“Yep.” Justin saw Brian turn his head and watch him cross the street. Sometimes he wondered if Brian thought another bat would hit him again the second they parted. 

\----------

Brian strolled into the loft, expecting Justin to be in the middle of food preparations that would leave his kitchen in a mess. He relaxed when he didn’t see any signs of a disaster. Instead he found Justin sitting on the sofa, watching TV with the sound low. From the way his hand trembled, Brian figured he’d been drawing too long. He put his arms around his shoulders. “Take a shower with me.”

“I just came out of there.”

“Oh.”

“I’d love it if you massaged it for a minute, though.”

Brian huffed out a laugh. “You did warn me years ago that you were onto me.”

“Uh-huh.” Justin craned his neck and had to stop himself from commenting on Brian’s paleness. “Want me to cook you dinner?”

“Not if you don’t want me to spend the night puking my guts out.”

“Tea and crackers?”

“Whatever.” Brian kissed Justin’s fingers. “Better?” 

“Yeah. Thanks.” Justin picked up his pen and continued to sketch. “Are you going out?”

“Yes, dear,” Brian drawled.

Justin waited until the shower started before setting the table with whatever he could think of that wouldn’t make Brian throw up or be too painful to throw up. He sat at the table with a magazine and pretended to read when Brian returned from the bathroom. 

“What’s this?” Brian picked up a package from his desk and waved it at Justin. 

“That’s a Christmas gift. People give them to their loved ones during the holidays. It’s a tradition that began in the 18th century and is still common in many cultures. Actually, it began long before that, but the way they did it back then doesn’t hold much resemblance to what we’re doing now.”

Brian nibbled on a piece of fruit and waited for Justin to finish his monologue. He still sounded like seventeen when he delivered his facts. 

“However, if you’re asking what’s in that specific box, it’s a toy car for Gus.” Justin wondered if Brian was aware that he’d eaten almost a whole banana while listening to him. 

“I already put money into his account.”

“It’s from me.”

“Aha. And the other one?”

“It’s a silver candle holder for Mel and Lindsay from both of us.” 

“I’ll pay you back later.” Brian broke a cracker in two and put a piece of cheese on it.

“In blowjobs?”

“Is there any other currency you accept?” 

“Lindsay and Gus will stop by tomorrow at noon if you’re up for it.”

Brian folded his lips in and nodded. He took a bite of the toast Justin held out for him. “I’m meeting Mikey at Babylon. Are you coming or staying?” 

“Staying.”

“Come with us. You haven’t had sex in public since—”

“Since two nights ago?”

“I was going to say since I fingered you in the backroom and you shot your load over the lucky guy who happened to stand too close to you.” When Justin’s cheeks turned pink, he leaned in to kiss him.

“Yeah, why not? I might make it an early night, though.” 

\----------

Brian searched through his closet and sighed. Nothing seemed right. “I need to do some serious shopping.”

“Tonight?”

“Very funny. No, tonight I’ll have to settle for one of these.” He pointed at his collection of black shirts. “Which one?”

Justin grabbed the shirt closest to him. 

“Why that one?”

Justin groaned. He wasn’t in the mood for a lengthy discussion about shirts that were all the same, at least to him, and went with the easiest reply. “You look hot in that one.” He was surprised when Brian nodded. He obviously wasn’t okay. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him get away so easily.

After pulling on a pair of jeans, Brian started brushing his teeth and glared at the mirror. The worrisome look that Justin wore lately was justified. When his stomach cramped, he gave an angry shake of his head, pitched the toothbrush into the waste basket, and knelt in front of the toilet. 

Justin winced when he heard the sounds in the bathroom. How much more could a body take before breaking down? He paced the floor, debating if he should join him or leave him alone. 

“Get in here!” Brian yelled. He eased himself to a sitting position and rested his head in his arms. When Justin yanked open the door, he stared at him through weary eyes and said, “Call Mikey, will you? Tell him I’ll talk to him tomorrow. Fuck!” 

An hour later as they lay in bed, Brian shivered under two sets of covers. He slid his arm under Justin’s shoulders and drew him closer. “You still could have gone out you know.”

“I know.” Justin switched off the lights and curled up around Brian. He glanced at the clock. “It’s after midnight.“

“Merry fucking Christmas,” Brian mumbled with his nose buried in Justin’s hair.


End file.
